Hi Friend,
Ohio’s budget bill has been signed into law. Governor DeWine removed 67 items from the budget before signing it. That’s more items than any Ohio governor has vetoed in decades.
You helped make it happen.
The state budget is still terribly cruel in many ways, but we were able to remove far more harmful provisions than anyone had expected. Your calls, emails, and protests clearly made an impact.
SOME BIG WINS:
Libraries will NOT be forced to hide books and materials “related to sexual orientation or gender identity or expression”
- This requirement likely would have forced library branches throughout the state to shut down or take drastic measures such as becoming “adults-only.”
- Your advocacy is helping to prevent unconstitutional government censorship.
Local school board races will remain nonpartisan
- Statehouse Republicans tried to sneak language into the state budget that would require all local school board candidates to run with a party label.
- Without partisan politics, school board candidates can really focus on the issues. Ohioans can vote based on who is most qualified to make sure our kids receive a high quality education in a nurturing environment.
Your tax dollars will NOT be funding “Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs)” for people sending their kids to unregulated religious schools.
- Statehouse Republicans have been trying to spend your money on so-called “Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs)” for “non-chartered nonpublic” religious schools.
- ESAs are even worse than universal vouchers. They can be spent on anything — not just tuition.
- Without your advocacy, this suspicious new program would have taken millions more dollars away from Ohio’s public schools.
Any new “Election Integrity Unit” that Ohio creates will have a much harder time abusing their power
- Statehouse Republicans have been trying to create an “Election Integrity Unit” that would be run by partisan politicians and expand prosecutions for election law violations.
- This raised a lot of red flags for voting rights organizations — especially when Republicans tried to sneak this policy into the state budget rather than passing it through the Statehouse as its own bill.
- Thanks to your pushback, Governor DeWine vetoed some of the most troubling pieces of this language in the budget. The state could still create an “Election Integrity Unit,” but it will be more restricted than we had feared if this veto remains in place.
Babies and toddlers throughout Ohio will have access to needed health care
- Statehouse Republicans added a shameful provision to Ohio’s budget bill that would end continuous
- Medicaid enrollment for Medicaid-eligible children from birth through age three. Governor DeWine vetoed this deadly language, removing what would have been a major barrier to care for Ohio’s most vulnerable.
Ohio schools will not be punished for being fiscally responsible
- Statehouse Republicans added language to the budget that would ban school districts from carrying 40% or more of their operating budget into the next year.
- School districts never know what funding will look like in the next state budget. They carry money over so they won’t need to put a levy on the ballot and ask voters for more money.
- Educators and local elected officials have been sounding the alarm about this devastating provision, and their voices made an impact. Governor DeWine vetoed the budget “carry over” language.
Homelessness prevention and affordable housing programs will continue
- House Republicans’ tried to gut the Ohio Housing Trust Fund, which is the main source of state funding for homelessness and affordable housing programs.
- Thanks to Ohioans’ pushback, this funding was restored.
Legal Aid funding will continue
- Senate Republicans tried to eliminate ALL state dollars for the Legal Aid Fund, which helps Ohioans access a lawyer when they can’t afford one.
- Thanks to Ohioans’ pushback, this funding was restored.
SADLY, OHIO SUFFERED SOME MAJOR LOSSES AS WELL:
Despite Ohioans’ pleas, Governor DeWine refused to veto several devastating budget provisions added by Statehouse Republicans. These provisions will become law.
Some of Ohio’s most damaging new laws include:
- Medicaid Trigger Language, which will likely cause 750,000+ Ohioans to lose Medicaid coverage
- A massive tax cut for ONLY the richest Ohioans
- Language hiding nearly all legislator and staff communications from public records
- Heavy restrictions on criminal justice public records. This new law will keep innocent Ohioans in prison and keep dangerous people on the streets
- Language eliminating all elected State Board of Education members. In the future, Ohio’s State Board of Education will be much smaller, and all members will be appointed by the governor
- Over $600 Million in Ohioans’ unclaimed funds will be used to build a new, domed stadium for the Cleveland Browns
- Ohio law will now include a discriminatory state definition of “sexes,” which excludes trans Ohioans and intersex Ohioans. This could have troubling consequences in many ways, such as Ohioans’ ability to update gender markers on their IDs and licenses.
- Public schools will be forced to let students miss two periods per week to attend religious “released time” programs such as LifeWise. This will further disrupt all students’ class time and their ability to learn.
- Your tax dollars will be used to purchase 3D diagnostic ultrasound machines for “Crisis pregnancy centers,” which are non-medical clinics intended to talk women out of having abortions
- Mental health services “that promote or affirm” trans Ohioans will have a much harder time finding the funding they need to exist
- Fracked gas projects will now receive financing reserved for clean air projects
Your incredible advocacy over the past few months led to some hugely important wins for our communities. But we also know a lot of people will be harmed by Ohio Republicans’ budget. That is shameful, and it has to end.
It’s time to move from defense to offense. We will never be able to build the state we all deserve until we elect leaders who share our values.
That’s why Blue Ohio crowdfunds for underfunded Democratic Statehouse nominees throughout the state.
We need to support the folks who are willing to speak truth to power, spread a Democratic message in every corner of the state, and organize in some of the reddest places of Ohio. If we want to run everywhere, we have to support everywhere.
That’s what we do at Blue Ohio. We crowdfund for underfunded races, directly funding nominees and giving them resources to run grassroots campaigns that give their neighbors a choice… and Democrats a chance.
If you aren’t already a member, join Blue Ohio today. Help us support more Democratic nominees. Help them speak truth to power.
Help make a Blue Ohio.
Fight Everywhere, for Everyone
Blue Ohio Team
